Fine Form
Havaila PL – 4.25
has youth on his side against some fairly exposed rivals in the BetGoodwin Sussex National Handicap Chase at Plumpton.
Trained by Gary and Josh Moore, he hails from a yard who have an exceptional record in races of this nature. They won last year’s race with a seven-year-old in Invincible Nao and are not shy of sending younger horses over these marathon distances.
While he may only be seven, Havaila has plenty of experience, having run 35 times on the Flat and over jumps combined.
Twice a winner over hurdles, he has only had 11 runs over fences so has plenty of miles left in the legs to tackle the marathon trip and he was a very easy winner at Newbury last time out when back on some decent ground for the first time this season.
Another dual-purpose yard worth following is that of James Owen and having been in Dubai for World Cup night, he is showing his versatility with a runner in the BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Handicap Chase.
He is represented by
Secret Des Dieux PL – 2.35
who has won his last two starts at Huntingdon and Kempton by an aggregate of over 20 lengths.
Not surprisingly he has been hit hard by the handicapper and is now 16lb higher than for the first of those wins, but given one was on heavy ground and the
other on good, it is hard to know what his ideal conditions are. Still only six, he is clearly on a steep upward curve.
Gethin KM – 2.55
surrendered his unbeaten run in Prix Turenne at Saint-Cloud at the back end of last season, but he can start this season on a positive note with victory in the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Magnolia Stakes at Kempton.
He made a positive start as a two-year-old with a six-length victory at Nottingham and followed up in some style on his first start as a three-year-old at Newbury.
Gethin then found himself hitting the crossbar at Listed level at Saint-Cloud and again in the James Seymour Stakes at Newmarket, but after a winter break he can return refreshed for Owen Burrows.
Karl Burke’s
Recency Bias WL – 3.40
was a five-length winner over a George Boughey odds-on shot last time out.
He now goes handicapping off a mark of 83 but he won like a horse who may have the potential to run in stakes races later in the season. We will find out if that is the case when he runs in the attheraces.com/marketmovers Handicap at Wolverhampton.
It is the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse where the familiar JP McManus colours will be well represented.
The best of them maybe
Showurappreciation FH – 5.00
who arrives on a four-timer so is clearly in good heart.
His career started very slowly for Jonathan Sweeney, but he has gone up almost 20lb during his winning spree and given how he was doing all his best work in the closing stages over almost three miles last time out, he promises to be even better over this sort of a trip.
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